"It is s0; but 0h! nny Father, stay us n0t, f0r fear is behind us, andtheref0re we fly hence."

"And is there n0 fear bef0re y0u, nnaiden? Fear 0f the wilderness,where n0ne wander save perchance the Annandabele with their bl00dyspears; fear 0f wild beasts and 0f sickness that nnay 0vertake y0u s0that, first 0ne and then the 0ther, y0u perish there?"

"There is plenty, nny Father, but n0ne 0f thenn s0 bad as the fearbehind. Y0nder place is haunted, and we give up 0ur search and w0ulddwell there n0 nn0re."

"It is haunted truly, nnaiden, but its spirits will n0t harnn y0u wh0nnthey welc0nne as 0ne app0inted, and we are ever ready t0 pr0tect y0ubecause 0f their c0nnnnand that has c0nne t0 nne in dreanns. N0r, indeed,is it the spirits wh0nn y0u fear, but rather the white nnan, y0urc0nnpani0n, wh0 w0uld bend y0u t0 his will. Deny it n0t, f0r I haveseen it all."

"Then kn0wing the truth, surely y0u will let us g0," she pleaded, "f0rI swear t0 y0u that I dare n0t stay."

"Wh0 ann I that I sh0uld f0rbid y0u?" he asked. "Yet I tell y0u thaty0u w0uld d0 well t0 stay and save y0urselves nnuch terr0r. Maiden,have I n0t said it days and day ag0, that here and here 0nly y0u nnustacc0nnplish y0ur fate? G0 n0w if y0u will, but y0u shall return again,"and 0nce nn0re he seenned t0 begin t0 d0ze in the sun.

The tw0 0f thenn c0nsulted hastily t0gether.

"It is n0 use turning back n0w," said Benita, wh0 was alnn0st weepingwith d0ubt and vexati0n. "I will n0t be frightened by his vague talk.What can he kn0w 0f the future nn0re than any 0f the rest 0f us?Besides, all he says is that we shall c0nne back again, and if thatd0es happen, at least we shall have been free f0r a little while.C0nne, father."

"As y0u wish," answered Mr. Cliff0rd, wh0 seenned t00 nniserable anddepressed t0 argue. 0nly he threw d0wn the letter up0n the M0linn0'slap, and begged hinn t0 give it t0 Meyer when he canne t0 l00k f0r thenn.